Shocking pictures reveal mouse droppings and filth at popular Croydon Indian restaurant Karnavar

Inspectors found filthy conditions at Karnavar, though the restaurant now has a perfect hygiene rating (Image: Dave Cook/Croydon Council)

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When you go to one of Croydon's many restaurants, you really don't want to entertain the idea that your food is being prepared anywhere less than sparkling clean.

And you definitely don't want to find mice nesting in the kitchen, either.

Karnavar, one of Croydon's most popular Indian restaurants in the heart of the Restaurant Quarter, has been ordered to pay a £13,500 fine after inspectors found just that - evidence of mice in the kitchen - during an inspection on November 9, 2017.

The Croydon Council found mouse poo on the kitchen floor, while shelves used to stack crockery on were dirty - they too had traces of mouse droppings, as did the lids of plastic food containers.

Mouse droppings found next to stacks of crockery (Image: Croydon Council)

Inspectors also found shredded paper towels and droppings under a fridge, which indicated mice had nested there.

And there were even droppings inside a cupboard at the South End restaurant.

Some of the mess found on the floor (Image: Croydon Council)

On Tuesday January 15, company director Mr Manoj Poovanathu Narayankarnavar, 45, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations 2013 on his own and on the company’s behalf.

They were ordered to pay a total of £13,560.

'Eye-opening'

The restaurant's head chef Manoj Karnavar has previously boasted of being listed in the Michelin Guide 2018 and promised customers a zero food hygiene report would not happen again.

The restaurant has since been reinspected and now has a 5 star food hygiene rating.

Mr Karnavar told the Croydon Advertiser last year: "It’s a learning curve. This is the first time in my 25-year career I have received a zero rating.

Manoj Karnavar says things have improved at the restaurant

“This was a very eye-opening moment and I promise to my customers I will make sure this will never happen again.

“It’s very unfortunate it happened but we fixed it immediately. We had three months of shame but we have now been given a rating of five and we are very, very happy to get that back.”

He also blamed the structure of the building for failings.

But in court, as well as two offences for poor food hygiene, the restaurant admitted failing to properly clean the premises, its equipment and fittings.

The filthy conditions that inspectors found at Karnavar (Image: Croydon Council)

It also admitted not keeping the restaurant in good repair and condition and failing to document and implement a food safety management system, so food is produced safely.

Councillor Hamida Ali, cabinet member for safer Croydon and communities, said: “By neglecting to properly clean its kitchen, this restaurant could have easily given its customers food poisoning if council inspectors had not turned up.

"I’m pleased at the result of this case, which underlines the important work done by the council’s food safety team to protect the public.”

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